Answers to Your Questions
Air Force Students - Answers
Students can apply online. Note: once the application is submitted, an account will be created with UMUC and there will be a $50.00 non-refundable application fee generated. Students are responsible for paying this fee as soon as possible. Students can make payments online through MyUMUC or calling 800-888-8682, ext. 5510. This phone number can also be used for questions regarding an account balance or students can send an e-mail to bursaroffice@umuc.edu.
What do I need to be fully admitted into UMUC?
To be fully admitted to UMUC, students must submit all official transcripts from previous institutions and military ID and/or orders. The military ID/orders are needed to ensure in-state tuition. Please review our UMUC admission pages for details on requirements for undergraduate and graduate admissions. In addition, the $50.00 non-refundable application fee must be paid in full. Students may register and attend courses while finishing their admissions process.
Where can I learn more about placement testing?
All undergraduate UMUC prospective students must take an English and math placement test. Students may schedule a placement test through the Testing Center. Students may also look over the placement test Web page for more details.
Who is my UMUC academic advisor?
When a student needs assistance with UMUC programs, policies, admissions, courses, requirements and basic university administrative information they can contact their academic advisor. If a student has not been assigned an academic advisor they can contact the Military Advising Team at military@umuc.edu or call 800-888-8682, ext. 7270. Any questions involving the AF Portal may have to be directed to an Air Force Education counselor.
How do I register for classes?
All courses are available through MyUMUC. Air Force students will be able to view the Catalog and Schedule of Classes through the AF Portal; however, it is important to remember all registrations must be done through MyUMUC or by contacting a military advisor for assistance.
Are there any required courses?
For undergraduates, UMUC requires all students to take LIBS 150. This course must be taken within the student’s first 18 credits of enrollment. Students must also successfully complete the WRTG 101 course, along with a second writing course (a communications/writing) and an advanced intensive writing requirement. Mathematic requirements are specific to the program the student is studying.
For graduate school, all students at UMUC are required to take UCSP 611 or UCSP 611A within their first 6 credits.
How do I use Tuition Assistance as payment for courses?
After registering for courses with UMUC, all Active Duty Airmen who wish to use Tuition Assistance (TA) as payment for their course(s) will need to log into the AF Portal and request their Tuition Assistance. Please be sure to have the correct course information available for selection on your TA request. Once the form has been completed please submit this form via the portal for processing. Once you have been notified your Tuition Assistance has been approved, print this TA form and fax this directly to our finance office at 301-985-7858 or 301-985-7502.
How do I apply for grants/financial aid?
At UMUC, you will find a variety of financial aid programs to suit your needs—from grants and scholarships (which do not require repayment) to loans (which must be repaid) and work-study programs. A number of factors determine eligibility for these programs, including financial need (as defined by the Department of Education), undergraduate or graduate enrollment, and grade-point average. For further information about any of the programs or to receive a financial aid package, please contact the Financial Aid office at 800-888-8682 or at finaid@umuc.edu.
How do I order my course materials?
Now that you have registered for your course(s) you will need to purchase your course materials. UMUC has linked with MBS Direct allowing students to purchase their course materials online. To do this, first log into your MyUMUC portal and follow these step-by-step instructions.
- Select the Student Portal Link located on the upper left hand side of your screen.
- Select the My Academics link (again located on the left) and then Registration/Enrollments. Confirm your course registrations and course section(s) you have been placed into. (You will need the course numbers when selecting the correct course materials for purchase.)
- Select the Order Class Materials link.
- Select the MBS Direct link, which will then take you directly to UMUC’s MBS site.
- Select the icon to Order Books.
How do I have my exam(s) proctored?
Undergraduate students taking online courses are required to have their final exams proctored. The proctor is an impartial individual who ensures the security and integrity of the examination. A list of acceptable proctors, procedures and contacts can be found on our Register for Proctored Final Exams Web site. Students may also contact the Testing Center at testingcenter@umuc.edu or call 800-888-8682, ext. 2600.
All online graduate students will be required to arrange final projects and/or tests through their professor for the course. There will be no proctoring for graduate level testing.
Air University’s Associate to Baccalaureate Cooperative (AU/ABC) is a program set up for Air Force students earning an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree from the Community College of the Air Force (AACF) to apply a block of credits toward a bachelor’s degree with UMUC. The ABC program is set up for particular degrees, which can be viewed from our AU/ABC Web site.
What is Category I and Category II?
Under Category I degrees, students are guaranteed 60 credits will transfer from CCAF AAS degree to one of the two selected UMUC degrees:
- AAS Criminal Justice - BS Criminal Justice
- AAS Human Resources - BS Management Studies
Under Category II degrees, your general education requirements should be completed at an articulated institution or credit source (ex. tests). In some cases, it may only take you 60 credits to complete your degree program at UMUC. However, it is important to note that the number of credits for Category II programs will be determined during your transcript evaluation.
What is a Servicemember's Opportunity College (SOC) Agreement?
A SOC (Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges) is an agreement between the university and the soldier that will protect your credits and degree program as you transfer from duty station to duty station. It also offers a way to select courses from many colleges within the SOC Network for guaranteed transferability to your UMUC degree plan. Military students who are pursuing an undergraduate degree at UMUC are eligible for a SOCAD agreement. Graduate students and students pursuing only a certificate are not eligible for a SOC agreement.
Please note: UMUC stateside will honor valid overseas SOC agreements for Air Force. However, UMUC stateside does not have a contract with the Air Force, so no new SOC Agreements will be processed.
Why did I get a letter regarding a balance due when I am collecting tuition assistance?
A student could receive a notice via e-mail or US Postal Service for a balance for a number of reasons. To reduce the chances of this occurring, we strongly suggest students be proactive in their education by monitoring their accounts. This can be done through the MyUMUC portal.
Some of the common issues with balances are fees involving application for admissions and transcripts request. At times, when registering for classes, the tuition assistance applied may not have been enough to cover the cost of the courses. This may be due to a change in tuition costs which can occur each semester. A student may also have the wrong dates on their tuition assistance form or the tuition is coming from a previous fiscal year and dates need to be changed.
For assistance, a student should contact Student Financial Services at 800-888-8682, ext. 5510 or e-mail bursaroffice@umuc.edu. Also, a student may contact the Military Advising Team for assistance at military@umuc.edu.
